Solar collector support wings for efficient storage and deployment of solar collectors on a mobile structure

ABSTRACT

Deployable wings supporting solar collector arrays for mobile structures and associated methods of use are disclosed that provide significant power generation capacity, easy deployment, shaded work areas, and protection for solar collector arrays during transport. Some embodiments include a support surface configured to be hingedly coupled to a vehicle, a plurality of support rails extending away from the support surface to form at least one cavity, a solar collector array coupled to the support surface and within the at least one cavity, and at least one retractable cover configured to selectively cover the at least one cavity.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent applicationNo. 61/271,925, entitled Sustainable, Mobile, Expandable Structure,filed Jul. 28, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

FIELD

This application relates generally to solar collector mounts, andparticularly to solar collector mounts for vehicles.

BACKGROUND

Solar power is becoming increasingly desirable and necessary as otherfuel sources become harder to find and more expensive. Solar powerprovides the advantage that the energy source (the Sun) is freelyavailable throughout the planet, requiring only solar collectors toharvest the power. Solar collectors are getting thinner, lighter, andmore efficient as time goes on, making them more viable for moreapplications.

However, mobile solar collector applications have been limited becauseof the relatively low power output per area and the necessity of heavybatteries for utilizing solar power at night or when the Sun isotherwise obstructed. Because of the required surface area of solarcollectors to provide more than a trivial amount of power, solarcollectors have been generally impractical for vehicles such as cars,trucks, trailers, etc.

Additionally, the potential for damage to the collectors whentransporting them on the exterior of vehicles by road debris, requiringthe collectors to be stored on the interior of the vehicle fortransport, or simply bearing the increased risk of damage. Since solarcollectors can be expensive, frequent damage to collectors by roaddebris is very undesirable, lessening the utility of solar collectors onvehicles and reducing the availability of mobile, solar-powered remotesolutions for a multitude of problems.

SUMMARY

Deployable wing supporting solar collector array for mobile structuresand associated methods of use are disclosed that provide significantpower generation capacity, easy deployment, shaded work areas, andprotection for solar collector arrays during transport. Some embodimentsinclude a support surface configured to be hingedly coupled to avehicle, a plurality of support rails extending away from the supportsurface to form at least one cavity, a solar collector array coupled tothe support surface and within the at least one cavity, and at least oneretractable cover configured to selectively cover the at least onecavity.

In some embodiments, the support structure is configured to be rotatedbetween a stored configuration and a deployed configuration. In thestored configuration, the support surface can be parallel with a side ofthe mobile structure and with the at least one retractable panelcovering the at least one cavity to protect the solar collector array.The support structure can be generally parallel with a roof of themobile structure in the deployed configuration. The solar collectorarray can also extend out of the at least one cavity for solar energycollection in the deployed configuration.

Some embodiments can include support legs configured to selectively holdthe support surface in a generally horizontal position. The support legscan be coupled to the vehicle and to the support surface, and caninclude hydraulic actuators. The support structure can also provide acovered work space below the support surface in the deployedconfiguration.

In some embodiments, the support structure can include an eave coupledto an end of the support surface. The end of the support surface coupledto the eave can be opposite an end of the support structure configuredto be hingedly coupled to the vehicle. The at least one retractablepanel can extend out of the eave. The at least one retractable cover canbe a sectioned metal door. The vehicle can be a trailer, such as a semitrailer.

The support structure can be transported and the solar array deployedby: providing a vehicle with a deployable wings hingedly attached to thevehicle, the deployable wings including a solar collector array andretractable covers for covering the solar collector array; placing thedeployable wings in a transportation configuration; transporting thevehicle; and deploying the solar collector array.

The deployable wings can be placed in a transportation configuration by:moving the deployable wings to a vertical position parallel to avertical surface of the vehicle; placing each collector of the solarcollector array flat against a support surface of the deployable wings;and covering the solar collector array with at least one retractablecover.

Similarly, the solar collector array can be deployed by: uncovering thesolar collector array by retracting the at least one retractable cover;extending the solar collector array away from the support surface of thedeployable wings; and rotating the deployable wings to a generallyhorizontal position such that the solar collector array is positioned tocapture solar energy. The deployable wings can provide a work area whendeployed, with light fixtures to provide light to the work area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following description can be better understood in light of Figures,in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective drawing of trailer with an exemplary deployablewings in transport configuration;

FIG. 2 is a perspective drawing of the deployable wings of FIG. 1 withthe solar collectors uncovered;

FIG. 3 is a perspective drawing of the deployable wings of FIG. 1 withthe solar collector array ready for deployment;

FIG. 4 is a perspective drawing of the deployable wings of FIG. 1 in adeployed configuration;

FIG. 5 is a perspective drawing of an exemplary deployable wingsunattached from a vehicle;

FIG. 6 is a perspective drawing of exemplary deployable wings attachedto a semi trailer; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective drawing of the deployable wings of FIG. 6 in adeployed configuration.

Together with the following description, the Figures demonstrate andexplain the principles of deployable wings for vehicles and associatedmethods of use. In the Figures, the size, number and configuration ofcomponents may be exaggerated for clarity. The same reference numeralsin different Figures represent the same component.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description supplies specific details in order to providea thorough understanding. Nevertheless, the skilled artisan wouldunderstand that embodiments of deployable wings and associated methodsof using them can be implemented and used without employing thesespecific details. Indeed, exemplary embodiments and associated methodscan be placed into practice by modifying the illustrated units andassociated methods and can be used in conjunction with any other devicesand techniques conventionally used in the industry. For example, whilethe description below generally focuses on embodiments of deployablewings for trailers, similar support structures can be used with RV's(i.e. motorhomes, travel trailers, campers), mobile homes, boats, mobileclinics, mobile classrooms, mobile work trailers (such as those commonlyused at construction sites), etc., or other applications where a itwould be advantageous to have a deployable solar collector array with aprotective covering.

FIGS. 1-4 illustrate an embodiment of deployable wings 100 attached totrailer 110. Deployable wings 100 can be attached to trailer 110 with ahinge (not shown) at a top exterior corner on the side of trailer 110.Trailer 110 can include frame 112 and wheels 114. Trailer 110 may be anyconventional trailer outfitted with connection reinforcements forcoupling with deployable wings 100.

Deployable wings 100 can include support surface 120, solar collectorarray 130, and protective covers 140. Support surface 120 can includesupport rails 142 extending from support surface 120 to form one or movecavities. Support rails 142 can provide support and pathways forindividual panels of protective cover 140 to be deployed and retracted.As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, protective cover 140 can include one or moreindividual metal sectional doors that can be rolled into a generallycylindrical shape or accordion configuration, similar to the retractabledoors on a beverage truck. Protective cover 140 can be stored in therolled form when retracted inside of eaves 144.

In some embodiments, protective cover 140 may be formed of any materialand configuration sufficiently strong to prevent damage to solarcollectors 132 by road debris. Additionally, protective covers 140 mayalso provide a theft deterrent similar to the protective covers ofbeverage trucks. FIG. 2 shows protective covers 140 retracted into eaves144, revealing individual solar collectors 132.

Solar collectors 132 of solar collector array 130 may be placed in thecavities formed by support surface 120 and support rails 142. Solarcollectors 132 may be hidden during transport, covered with protectivecover 140, as shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 3, solar collectors 132of solar collector array 130 may be deployed and positioned inpreparation for deploying wings 100 into the deployed configurationshown in FIG. 4.

To deploy, support surface 120 can be rotated up to a generallyhorizontal position and supported by support legs 124. In the deployedposition, support surface 120 can provide shaded working area 180 undersupport surface 120, while positioning solar array 130 to collect solarpower for use in trailer 110 and shaded working area 180. In someembodiments, nets, curtains, or temporary wall may be used to provideadditional cover and enclosure for shaded working area 180.

FIG. 5 illustrates deployable solar collector support structure 200detached from a vehicle and supported by multiple support legs 224.Light fixtures 226 can provide light to shaded working area 280. In thisand similar embodiments, a vehicle similar to those shown in FIGS. 1-4or 6-7 brings deployable solar collector support structure 200 to alocation, deploys similar to as is discussed above with additionalsupport legs 224, and then detached from vehicle to allow the vehicle tomove to a different location, for example, to retrieve additionalsupplies for use in shaded working area 280.

Turning now to FIGS. 6 and 7, deployable wings 300 can be attached tosemi trailer 310 and transported with semi tractor 318. Deployable wings300 can function similar to and have similar components to deployablewings 100 and 200 described above. Each of deployable wings 300 caninclude support surface 320, solar array 330 formed from solarcollectors 332, protective covers 340 storable in eaves 344 and guidedby support rails 342 between deployed and retracted positions, eachshown in FIG. 6.

Support legs 324 can be used to automatically deploy wings 300 to thedeployed configuration as shown in FIG. 7. Support legs 324 can bedriven by a cable retraction system, hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders,or any other actuator system for rotatable raising objects havingsimilar size and mass.

Embodiments of deployable wings, such as those discussed above, can beused with conventional vehicles, such as semi trailers, to quickly andefficiently deliver a self-powered work station where needed. Forexample, immediately following a natural disaster, such as anearthquake, tornado, hurricane, tsunami, etc., a trailer with attacheddeployable wings can be loaded with supplies, brought to the disasterlocation and deployed to quickly and effectively provide powered workareas for disaster relief efforts. Of course, other uses andmodifications for embodiments of deployable wings will be apparent tothose of ordinary skill in the art within the scope of the invention.

In addition to any previously indicated modification, numerous othervariations and alternative arrangements can be devised by those skilledin the art without departing from the spirit and scope of thisdescription, and appended claims are intended to cover suchmodifications and arrangements. Thus, while the information has beendescribed above with particularity and detail in connection with what ispresently deemed to be the most practical and preferred aspects, it willbe apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerousmodifications, including, but not limited to, form, function, manner ofoperation and use can be made without departing from the principles andconcepts set forth herein. Also, as used herein, examples are meant tobe illustrative only and should not be construed to be limiting in anymanner.

1. A solar collector array support structure, the support structurecomprising; a pair of wings, each of the pair of wings being made tosupport a solar collector array; and a connector coupled to each wing,the connector being made to hingedly connect the wing to a mobilestructure.
 2. The solar collector array support structure of claim 1,further comprising supports configured to selectively maintain each ofthe pair of wings in a generally horizontal position.
 3. The solarcollector array support structure of claim 2, wherein the supportsinclude hydraulic actuators.
 4. The solar collector array supportstructure of claim 2, wherein the supports are coupled to the vehicleand to each wing.
 5. The solar collector array support structure ofclaim 1, wherein each of the wings swings outward from a storedconfiguration to a deployed configuration.
 6. The solar collector arraysupport structure of claim 5, wherein each wing is parallel with a sideof the mobile structure when each of the wings are in the storedconfiguration.
 7. The solar collector array support structure of claim5, further comprising at least one retractable panel for protecting thesolar collector array when each of the wings are in the storedconfiguration.
 8. The solar collector array support structure of claim5, wherein each of the wings is substantially parallel with a roof ofthe mobile structure when each of the wings are in the deployedconfiguration.
 9. The solar collector array support structure of claim5, wherein solar collectors of the solar collector array extendoutwardly from the wings when each of the wings is in the deployedconfiguration.
 10. The solar collector array support structure of claim5, wherein each of the wings provides a sheltered work space below thewings when each of the wings is in the deployed configuration.
 11. Thesolar collector array support structure of claim 7, further comprisingan eave coupled along an outer edge of each of the wings.
 12. The solarcollector array support structure of claim 11, wherein the at least oneretractable panel is retractable into the eave.
 13. The solar collectorsupport structure of claim 1, wherein the mobile structure is a trailer.14. The solar collector support structure of claim 13, wherein thetrailer is a semi trailer.
 15. A method for transporting and deploying asolar collector array, the method comprising: providing a mobilestructure with a pair of wings hingedly attached to the vehicle, each ofthe pair of wings including a solar collector array and retractablecovers for covering the solar collector arrays; placing the wings in atransportation configuration by: moving the wings to a downward positionparallel to a side of the mobile structure; placing the solar collectorsof each solar collector array flat against a support surface of each ofthe wings; and covering each solar collector array with at least oneretractable cover; transporting the mobile structure; and deploying eachsolar collector array by: uncovering each solar collector array byretracting the at least one retractable cover; extending each solarcollector array away from the support surface of each of the wings; andswinging the wings outwardly to a generally horizontal position suchthat the solar collector array is positioned to capture solar energy.16. The method of claim 15, wherein the mobile structure is a trailer.17. The method of claim 16, wherein the trailer is a semi trailer. 18.The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one retractable cover is asectioned metal door.
 19. The method of claim 15, wherein the wings eachprovide a sheltered work area when deployed.
 20. The method of claim 15,further comprising detaching the wings from the vehicle.